Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Recently I had the chance to sit down with Debra Sennefelder whose new book The Univited Corpse is coming out and had a chance to visit with Community Bookstop and give us some insight into her.

What genre do you write?

I write cozy mysteries.How did you come to write cozy mysteries?

The first cozy I read was Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. Then I discovered Diane Mott Davidson and Katherine Hall Page in my local bookstore. I was hooked on cozies since then.

What is your favorite character to write about?

I love writing a strong female character who is pushed out of her comfort zone to find justice.

Do you have a favorite villain in any of your books? One that stood out more than others?

I don’t have a favorite villain. I do have one villain I feel the most sorry for and that villain is in THE UNINVITED CORPSE. Unfortunately, I can’t much more without giving away who the villain is.Who inspires your books?

There is no one in particular. I’m always inspired by other authors and by my critique partner. I’m also inspired by snippets of conversation, news headlines and day-to-day life. Book 2 in my Food Blogger mystery series was inspired by an event that happened at a neighbor’s house one Sunday afternoon. Inspiration is everywhere for writers.What do you do when you’re not writing?

I love to bake and cook, so you’ll find me in my kitchen a lot when I’m not writing. I also love to exercise. A good workout helps clears my head and sometimes it helps come up with an idea. I love to take walks with my two Shih-Tzus, Susie & Billy.

Do you have any new books coming out or books you want to share here?

The Uninvited Corpse, book 1 in the Food Blogger Mystery series, is my debut novel and releases on March 27th. In January 2019 I’ll have a new book, Murder Wears a Little Black Dress, released and it’s the first book in a new series, Resale Boutique mysteries.What was one of your dreams when you were a child?

To be a published author.

Do you have a favorite drink?

Coffee.

If you were stuck on a deserted island and could take three things with you what would they be?

Mascara. Coffee. Sunblock. Lots of sunblock. I burn.

Thank you for taking the time to do this!

Your welcome thank you for stopping by Community Bookstop and sharing yourself with all of us!

GIVEAWAY:

I have one copy of this book to giveaway this copy is a physical book and is open to USA residents only all you have to do is tell me your favorite cozy author there is no right answer just wondering which ones people like also please include your email address!

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.

Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.

A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface.

Rich in emotion and fueled with suspense, SEE ME reminds us that love is sometimes forged in the crises that threaten to shatter us . . . and that those who see us for who we truly are may not always be the ones easiest to recognize.

My Review:

This book follows Colin Hancock and Maria Sanchez who have grown up differently. Colin in between boarding schools to deal with his anger issues, and Maria has her ups and downs in the field of being a lawyer.

This book offers alot to readers from various mysteries and thrillers to relationships and so on which had me wondering what was going on and how Colin and Maria were going to work out their issues which was pleasant when the book ended!

For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana--until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .

As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans 'N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes--and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur's knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer?

My Thoughts:

In the latest book by Maddie Day we find Robbie Jordan owner of Pans 'N Pancakes up to her neck in maple festival of course what isn't on the menu is a chocking and murder! When a Professor Connolly shows up he rubs alot of people the wrong way including Robbie's co-worker and it's up to Robbie to figure out who killed the professor and why? In a town like South Lick there seem to be no shortage of secrets, but can Robbie sort through them all to get to the truth or will she be cut out like the Professor?

This book was great and introduced readers to the world of maple sugaring for those who don't know. I really liked watching how Robbie handles things and it shows Robbie more human who makes mistakes trying to do the right thing. Robbie is far from perfect and in my case that makes her more of a perfect character she's has flaws which I think add to a story. I'd be more worried about her if she was too perfect! If you haven't picked up on these books yet you are missing a real treat. This book I would highly recommend to food lovers and mystery lovers as well!

Eve Appel Egret is adjusting to married life with Sammy and their three adopted sons in Sabal Bay, Florida. While still running her consignment stores, she is going pro with her sleuthing by becoming an apprentice to a private detective.

Until her marriage, Eve’s only “family” was her grandmother Grandy, who raised her after her parents died in a boating accident. Now, in addition to her husband and sons, she has a father-in-law who clearly dislikes her. Sammy’s father, a full-blooded Miccosukee Indian long presumed dead, has emerged from the swamps where he’s been living like a hermit, and he isn’t happy about Eve's marriage to his half-Miccosukee, half-white son.

As for Eve’s family, are her parents really dead? A woman named Eleanor claims to be Eve’s half-sister, born after her mother faked a boating accident to escape her abusive husband, Eve’s father. Then Eleanor’s father turns up dead in the swamps, stabbed by a Bowie knife belonging to Sammy’s father, Lionel. Strange as Lionel Egret is, Eve knows he had no motive to kill this stranger. In order to clear him, Eve must investigate Eleanor's claims, and she might not like what digging around in her family’s past uncovers.

Book 6 in the Eve Appel Mystery series.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Eve Appel Egret who meets a man whose looking for his daughter before Eve can help him he's gone and then a woman comes in claiming to be Eve's sister and feeds her this incredible story about what supposedly happened to Eve's mother after she died in a boating accident. This creates all sorts of conflicts with Grandy and Eve as they both know Eve's parents died in a boating accident when Eve was 8. When the man Henry winds up dead and Eve's father-in-law is the suspect in the crime it's up to Eve and Nappi to get to the bottom of it. Will Eve figure out in time or will her snoopy skills get her more than she's bargained for?

This book had so much going on the strained relationship between Eve and her father-in-law Lionel. Sammy and Eve having a fight and Eve investigating the crime which leads them back and forth between Florida to New York and back to Florida then back to Connecticut and one more jaunt to Florida again.

It also shows alot of history with Eve's family her Grandy's sister Irene and her daughter Brenda and finally Eleanor who seem to have all sorts of hidden secrets whether Eve and Grandy want it that way or not. Getting to the bottom sure takes a boatload of work but this book definitely couldn't be put down I read it one day. Eve has a way of dragging you in and not letting go until the perps are arrested and justice has been correctly served!

Jessica Fletcher investigates a friend's murder and a dangerous dating service in the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series...

Jessica Fletcher takes up the cause of her good friend Barbara "Babs" Wirth after Babs' husband Hal suffers a fatal heart attack that Jessica has reason to believe was actually murder. At the heart of her suspicions lies a sinister dating site Hal had used while he and Babs were having marital issues--a site that may be complicit in somehow swindling him out of millions.

Jessica's investigation reveals that Hal was far from the only victim and when his former business partner is also killed, a deadly pattern emerges. Jessica teams up with a brilliant young computer hacker to follow the trail but as she gets closer to the truth, two near misses force her to realize that she may very well be the next victim.

The stakes have never been this high as Jessica finds herself being stalked by the killer she is trying to catch. She must now set the perfect trap to avoid her very own date with murder.

My Thoughts:

This book brings us back to Cabot Cove as summer is ending and everyone is gathered at Babs and Hal's house to celebrate Labor Day. As the festivities are winding down Jessica helps Babs locate Hal when they find him lying in the kitchen. After rushing him to the hospital we find out Hal died and Jessica finds herself wondering how a young man could wind up dead. Could foul play be at hand or is it just a case of heart attack regardless of the age? When Jessica is confronted by someone claiming to be Hal's lawyer threatens her, Jessica really wonders what is going on?

This book takes you all over from Boston to New York and back to Cabot Cove. We get to see Jessica work with Mort the sheriff and Seth the good old country doctor as well as Harry McGraw a local private investigator in New York who helps Jessica investigate the death and where it will lead which is right back to Cabot Cove.

I am such a huge fan and this book didn't disappoint. I was like watching the show except it was reading a book which really pulled you in and didn't let go until you knew the ending which I was greatly surprised with! Can't wait to see what is next with Cabot Cove and Jessica and her friends and loved ones!

Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell will be cooking alongside top chefs at a cookbook author's party. But a killer plans to ruin her appetite . . .

When Hayley's idol, cookbook author and TV personality Penelope Janice, invites her to participate in a Fourth of July celebrity cook-off at her seaside estate in Seal Harbor, Maine, Hayley couldn't be more flattered. She just hopes she can measure up. With a who's who of famous chefs whipping up their signature dishes, this holiday weekend has all the ingredients for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience.

Instead, Hayley gets food poisoning her first night and thinks she overhears two people cooking up a murder plot. The next morning, a body is found at the bottom of a cliff. Tragic accident or foul play? To solve a real cliffhanger, Hayley will need to uncover some simmering secrets--before a killer boils over again . . .

My Thoughts:

In this book Hayley meets her idol Penelope Janice a cookbook author when Penelope invites Hayley to spend the weekend at her estate in Seal Harbor. Hayley agrees and not long before drama unfolds. For Hayley that entails food poisoning and eavesdropping on a murder plot! Did Hayley hear a murder plot or was her food poisoning that severe that she dreamed it? When Penelope's husband winds up dead it's up to Hayley to figure out what is going on! Will Hayley figure it out of will her snooping get her that much closer to last call?

This book was great we get to see Hayley team up with Bruce from work and together they try to get to the bottom of what is going on with the rich and elite. After several attempts on Hayley's life and a little work from Bruce and an old ex-girlfriend they are able to piece together what is really going on and why! I can't wait for the next in this fun series!

Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell is off on a girls' getaway with her two best friends. But soon they'll have to get away from a killer...

The quaint fishing village of Salmon Cove, Maine, seems like the ideal location for a girls' weekend with Hayley's gal pals, Liddy and Mona. Liddy's on the rebound from a breakup, but when she meets a handsome tourist, it looks like a little romance might liven things up.

Unfortunately, Liddy's new sweetheart is found dead on the beach the next morning at the town's Lobster Bake, next to an overturned cooking pot. The liberated lobsters may be scrambling back to the sea, but Hayley's not about to let a murderer escape so easily. To crack the case, she'll need to blow the lid off some serious undercover activity--or risk becoming ensnared in a killer's trap...

Includes seven delectable recipes from Hayley's kitchen!

My Thoughts:

Libby, Mona and Hayley are off for a weekend in Salmon Cove Maine where Mona's uncle has a cabin but like most things everything is not what it seems. Libby meets a handsome man who agrees to go to a lobster festival with her but when she is stood up the real nightmare begins. When the body of a travel writer winds up dead on the beach and the girls are getting into tons of trouble with the local police, Hayley becomes determined to figure out what happened and why?

This book was full of so much mystery and adventure. We get to see what the girls are like when they are out of their comfort zone and meet the people of Salmon Cove. Salmon Cove was where we learn Mona spent alot of summers visiting and making friends. It's like Bar Harbor in some ways and not in others and it was great to see Hayley get to the bottom of multiple mysteries. Can't wait to see what is next for Hayley!

Theodosia Browning investigates a Charleston steeped in tradition and treachery in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

While viewing the harbor's Gaslights and Galleons Parade from the widow's walk of Timothy Neville's Charleston mansion, local banker Carson Lanier seemingly tumbles over a narrow railing, then plunges three stories to his death. But a tragic accident becomes something much more sinister when it's discovered that the victim was first shot with a bolt from a crossbow.

At the request of the mansion owner, Theodosia investigates the tragedy and is soon neck deep in suspects. An almost ex-wife, a coworker, a real estate partner--all had motives for killing the luckless banker, but one resorted to murder to settle accounts.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Theodosia Browning who is at the mansion of Timothy Neville when her and Drayton witness the murder of a banker Carson who plummets to his death. Theo hoping to catch the killer sets off in a chase after him which leads them to a inn. When she returns with Drayton to Timothy's house they find him asking her to look into the murder and who might have done it. This leads to his wife, business co-workers, to multiple of other characters. Will Theo figure it out in time or will this web get deeper and deeper with a possible killer running away free.

This book was great the series seems to get better with each book. In this one Theo finds herself going in many directions without getting the answers she's seeking. I found myself drawn in not able to put the book down as it was a real page turner. I loved watching as Drayton and Theo tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together until at the end the puzzle was finally solved!

From Cleo Coyle, the New York Times bestselling author of Dead Cold Brew, comes a delicious new entry in the "fun and gripping" (The Huffington Post) Coffeehouse Mystery series.

A new smartphone dating game turns the Village Blend into a hookup hot spot, until one dark night, when a gunshot leaves a dead body behind and the landmark coffeehouse becomes the center of a whole new scene--a crime scene.

As Village Blend manager Clare Cosi attempts to finalize a date for her wedding, her ex-husband becomes addicted to making dates through smartphone swipes. Clare has mixed feelings about these quickie matchups happening in her coffeehouse. Even her octogenarian employer is selecting suitors by screenshot! But business is booming, and Clare works hard to keep the espresso shots flowing. Then one dark night, another kind of shot leaves a dead body for her to find.

The corpse is a successful entrepreneur who became notorious for his "hit it and quit it" behavior: prowling for women on dating apps, then devastating his conquests with morning-after insults. Though the NYPD quickly arrests one of his recent victims, Clare finds reason to believe she's been framed.

Now, with the help of her ex and crew of quirky baristas, Clare starts "swiping" through suspects in her own shop, determined to find the real killer before another shot rings out.

Includes a bang-up menu of tempting recipes.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Clare Cosi whose hosting Cinder dating couples at the Village Blend which is the newest app that allows swipe to meet couples to get together. When a young woman goes crazy after her fella who dropped her like a bad habit. Not long after the news travels about the dangers of the Village Blend and Tucker winds up quitting which Clare won't tolerate. She is determined to get her shop business again and her barista back. When the body of a young woman is found in the water Clare wants to know who she is at any cost!

When the fella who is anything but honest winds up dead, and all points lead to something going on with a new drug in town. Clare finds herself relying on friends and family to help catch a killer. This book brought you all over the place from fitness clubs to crazy dating apps to an assortment of characters who look good for the murders but the truth is out there and Clare will stop at nothing to figure it out!

I enjoyed this book and the adventure it brought I couldn't put it down Clare, Matt, Tucker and everyone else at the Village Blend are so addictive that you want to see what is going on and what everyone is up to. I look forward time and again for the lastest in this great series that is like fine wine only getting better over time!

Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. And let me tell you, this broth is in trouble. Get ready for a Southern showdown.

The residents of Cottonwood, Kentucky are sent into a tizzy when the Culinary Channel comes to town to film an episode of Southern Home Cookin’ with celebrity chef Frank Von Lee.

Especially Sheriff Kenni Lowry.

Her mama’s award-winning chicken pot pie is what brought Frank to town, and they don’t make hair in the South bigger than her mama’s ego after the news.

When Frank Von Lee is found dead from food poisoning and the most likely culprit is Mama’s chicken pot pie, Kenni’s poppa, the former sheriff, comes back from the Great Beyond to assist in the investigation.

But nothing’s prepared Kenni for such a personal tie to a case, and she finds herself pushing the limits of the laws she’s sworn to protect.

This book’s so delicious it’ll make your mouth water and leave you hankerin’ for more.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Sheriff Kenni Lowry who has her plate filled with her ghostly father showing up which always means nothing good and her mother entering a contest for a Culinary Channel. When the celebrity chef Frank Von Lee shows up dead it's up to Kenni to figure it out. Of course all the evidence points to her mama but Kenni won't give up even when she has to give the case to Finn she refuses to back down and keeps searching for the guilty party. Will Kenni figure out in time or is her number up and she's wind up joining her daddy in the great sky life?

This book was great and quick moving it pulled you in wanting to know what is up with Kenni's mamma. What was really great was watching Kenni and locals help her even though she was technically off the case. I really found myself enjoying the adventure and looking forward to the next one!

Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to bone up on their detective skills and discover who is responsible for this wicked Halloween homicide.

Meanwhile, very strange things are happening at the library—haunted horses are materializing in the marsh, the lights seem to have an eerie life of their own, and the tiny crew of a model ship appears to move around when no one is watching. Is Lucy at her wit’s end? Or can it be that the Bodie Island Lighthouse really is haunted?

With The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on everyone’s minds and ghoulish gossip on everyone’s lips, Lucy will need to separate the clues from the boos if she wants to crack this case without losing her head in The Spook in the Stacks, the delightful fourth in national bestseller Eva Gates’ Lighthouse Library mysteries.

My Thoughts:

This book follows Lucy Richardson whose working at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library as Halloween is approaching they have agreed to let Louisa Jane do all her talks on hauntings and things. Add to that a businessman from Nag's Head long ago is deciding where to donate his documents to either a college library or the lighthouse library. When he winds up dead the pressure is on to find the killer. In the cops sights is his granddaughter Julia. Will Lucy figure it out in time? Who will win the mayoral election going on?

I really enjoyed this book as it has everything I've come to love with the lighthouse mysteries. The patrons of the library plus the staff make it a real treat to go back and see what everyone is up too. It was also good to see that Nag's Head was dealing with the elections as well! I really loved it and found I couldn't put it down until I had it all figured out. Even though this book really kept me guessing on the bad person.

The national bestselling author of Booked for Trouble returns with another charming mystery set in the most literary lighthouse in North Carolina's Outer Banks.Misfortune blows into North Carolina's Outer Banks when a dead body in a boat on the shore leaves local librarian Lucy Richardson racing to solve a strange new mystery....

After a successful party at Bodie Island's Lighthouse Library, librarian Lucy Richardson is ready to curl up with her cat, Charles, and a good book. But her R and R is cut short when she notices some mysterious lights leading a small boat to crash into the coast.

The two shipwrecked seafarers survive the ordeal—but one of them shows up dead ashore a few days later. Lucy finds herself again roped into a murder investigation and navigating a sea of suspects, all of whom had motives to deep-six the deceased. And this time, she has a sinking feeling that finding the real killer won't be so easy...

My Thoughts:

This book follows Lucy Richardson whose working at the Lighthouse Library when a new resident comes to town and ends up dead in a boat. Who killed Will and why? Was it a book seller who he was stiffing or was it his girlfriend who was so naive as to know what Will was really up to or was it someone else with a different agenda? As pressure is put on Lucy when her friend Stephanie is brought in repeatedly for questioning relating to Will and his death. Lucy is determined to figure out who killed the man and why?

I loved this story as well as the others in this series. This one didn't disappoint. It's great to head back to Nag's Head and see what everyone is up to and where this book is going I especially liked reading about Lucy and Connor. They make a great pair to read about! Can't wait to see what is next for the group. Next in the series is:

When a local woman begins searching for a couple she hasn’t seen since the 1960s, Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager Kelly Jackson and the crime-solving group, the “Silver Sentinels,” are quick to help out. They’re also quick to guess that they’re in over their heads after the woman is found dead beside the body of a Greek fortune teller—and a fellow Sentinel gets attackeds. As Kelly juggles work and her responsibilities at a food and wine festival in town, she and her sleuthing posse must confront a killer obsessed with old secrets . . . and solve a murder mystery more than fifty years in the making . . .

My Thoughts:

This book follows Kelly Jackson as she meets a fortune teller and her assistant Summer who wants help from the sentinels tracking down someone from her past. The Sentinels set out on the search and find her within a day Summer and the Fortune teller is dead, and the Sentinels are carrying out her last request when Mary gets attacked by someone the Sentinels set out to find out what happened and why? Will they figure it out or will their future lead to demise?

I love this series so full of so much between the Sentinels and people visiting the Bed and Breakfast and this one led to a story that took place in the 60's and what happened back then and those involved. I really enjoyed visiting everyone and seeing what everyone is up to.

Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager Kelly Jackson is hosting a cooking class during the Week of the Mushroom festival to attract guests, not drama. But soon after she finishes foraging for an edible mushroom species on sacred Native American land, a local newspaper reporter gets shot dead at the same site. With suspicions spreading like fungi in the quaint Northern Californian community over the culprit’s identity, Kelly and a savvy gang of sleuthing seniors known as the “Silver Sentinels” must uncover the truth about the secluded property before a tricky killer prepares another lethal surprise . . .

My Thoughts:

This book has Kelly Jackson whose all geared up to be hosting a cooking class on Mushrooms to go with the week of mushroom festival. Of course not is as it seems. Peter is determined that only humans hunt for mushrooms when the arrival of a dog and pig add to the mix the mood changes. Kelly also learns about Redwoods being impossible to take as there are laws about the removal of Redwood trees. With reporter Ned involved it's not long before someone winds up dead and it's up to the Silver Sentinels to determined who killed Ned the reporter and why? Was it someone who had a grudge against Ned? Or was it someone else he burned in a older article? So many possibilities the sentinels definitely have their work cut out for themselves. Will Kelly solve the murder in time or will she be capped as well?

This book had everything from missing redwood trees to people conspiring over mushrooms and finds Kelly and the sentinels in the middle of it trying to figure out who committed the crimes. When pressure gets put on Daniel a Native American gets caught up in being a suspect Kelly is determined to find out what is going on and why.

I love this series as one of it's characters has Asperger's syndrome which is rare to see. It's great to incorporate various things in a book. This one definitely has it with Native American's, Asperger's, and so much more I really enjoyed it!

"Angie Turner hopes her new farm-to-table restaurant can be a fresh start in her old hometown in rural Idaho. But when a goat dairy farmer is murdered, Angie must turn the tables on a bleating black sheep . . . With three weeks until opening night for their restaurant, the County Seat, Angie and her best friend and business partner Felicia are scrambling to line up local vendors-from the farmer's market to the goat dairy farm of Old Man Moss. Fortunately, the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. So when Angie hears the bloodcurdling news of foul play at the dairy farm, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock and help solve the murder. One thing's for sure, there's no whey Angie's going to let some killer get her goat . . .

My Thoughts:

Angie Turner and her friend/business partner Felicia have moved to town and are opening a farm to fork restaurant and working with local farmers to use their crops for their menus. When after meeting with a local goat farmer the following day Angie finds out he died, and Angie feels due to her Nonna it's her responsibility to find out what happened to Old Man Moss regardless of the cost! Will Angie figure it out in time or will the killer get to her before she figures it out?

This was a different type of mystery it was full of adventure and mystery as Angie tries to sort through the clues along with opening her new restaurant and get to the bottom of the mystery. This book had me hooked like all the other previous books that Ms. Calhoon writes she has such a way with story telling that I couldn't put it down until I knew who the bad guy was and watched as it was unraveled for us!